


Inhuman

by AnnSullie922



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Dragons, Epic Battles, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Gun Violence, I'm Bad At Tagging, Magical Realism, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Teenagers, Vampires, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:55:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnSullie922/pseuds/AnnSullie922
Summary: After the Inhuman Revolutionary war was won, and the Maiorem Magicae had let the Americans fend for themselves, there was peace. People were free to show who they really were. Werewolves showed their glowing eyes to anyone who would see. Fay flew over head in broad daylight. Sirens performed in bars and clubs showcasing their enchanting voices. And vampires paraded their fangs everywhere they went. But this Freedom was short lived as Inhumans where going missing left and right. Most would never be seen again, and the ones who did were never the same. Now there is only one safe haven from "The Hunters" as they're called. That place is the Protector's Academy run by a intimidating Mrs. Gladius Griffith. Now the Academy is threatened and its up to seven teenagers to save the school, and hopefully their people.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9





	1. The Dragon Dean

**Author's Note:**

> This is technically a rewrite of my previous work "when fates collide" I don't recommend reading it however. It is still up if you would like to witness some of my worse and less mature writing. If you have read it, I'm sorry. If you have not read it please enjoy this wonderful work in progress years in the making.

There was a sharp “CLASH!” as a wine glass was launched across the room from an even sharper looking woman. Her nose ended in a point as well as her chin and the collar to her pristine purple blazer. Not a single hair was out of place from her high, gray ponytail. Not a single wrinkle or a loose string on her periwinkle pantsuit. Nothing to show how disheveled she really was. Her annoyed glare nearly bore holes into the last letter of the mountains of postage she’d received. Her office was usually in an equal state to her; pristine, cold, and the uncomfortable side of clean. However today it was as if a hurricane had wreaked havoc on it.

The Letters were all addressed to a Mrs. Gladius Griffith at The Protectors academy, CA. all that had made it to their right destination anyway. She quietly chuckled in surrender at the sarcastic responses from her readers. She had asked simply who the public would prefer to keep the school safe from the Hunters other than herself. The readers ungratefully responded with names of modern-day legends.

The children of the “generals” who had brought freedom to our people where their highest voted recommendation. These kids were high in popularity, but low in terms of actual qualification. The three “generals” River Little, Patricia O’Brien, and Hector Lupus raised their children with ideas of non-violence and peace from what she had heard. Not suitable for actual soldiers. Maybe medics at best.

The next suggestions were even more hopeless. The youngest Descendant of Dracula himself, and the heir to the Suprema’s seat of the Maiorem Magicae. The Suprema and his family hadn’t been so much as spotted in almost two decades, and Dracula as people so dramatically called him hadn’t been particularly active for at least twice as long. Even in her longest sessions of council with him he had never brought up where his daughter and bastard of a son-in-law had gone. These people might as well have been bigfoot or the Lochness monster.

The last two were high in popularity and promise, but just as hard to find; The dauntless Florida-Panther, and the astounding Lightening-Storm. They truly were what many would call superheroes. They had rallied a militia of children and pushed the hunters up past the Florida panhandle and kept them there. They had accomplished what most full-grown packs of Lycans couldn’t have, all while wearing silly masks and hiding behind funny names.

Mrs. Griffith sighed in surrender and dissatisfaction. She would now have to find all these children and recruit them to the cause. Even they weren’t naïve enough to believe this “job” had no political weight. She’d have to offer full rides and free board at The Academy for sure. She guessed it was a small price to pay for peace and quiet to become of the chaos of what was her precious school. Her lovely pupils distracted and afraid of what lurk in every corner.

To say there was unease among the student body was a horrific underestimation. The children had formed protests and were leaving by the dozens. She was in hot water with the public, and she knew it. She didn’t want to lose her position, but nor did she want to look like a fool.

“I guess I have to give the people what they want. I should call Patricia and ask when a good time would be to see the children,” Her voice was soft yet refined as she spoke to herself. There was no girlish shrill to her voice. it was low, steady and very clear.

The woods were bright, and to the normal noes it smelt like cut grass, and fresh air. To Lilly however she could smell the composting leaves by the creek side, the rabbits and possums asleep in their dens, and even a dear what had to be sixty yards away. She was perched on a tree branch, but not looking for rabbits’ possums and dear, not today at least. Her bright, piercing, green eyes were trained into the woods, and her ears where tuned into the distant sound of birds chirping and squirrels playing. She was on the lookout for hunters or any fellow Lycans who felt like messing with her today. They had been quite relentless lately. Ever since she was forced out of the pack, they had tried to single her out and coerce her back.

The only problem was she didn’t want to go back. Not if it meant she couldn’t protect everyone who needed it, not just who the pack liked. Or who had paid the pack off. She couldn’t even guard her own home with her mother in it under the pack. Now she could at least do that.  
She heard loud and clumsy footsteps coming from behind her. She turned her freckled nose back to sniff out who it was. She registered that most familiar scent and groaned in fake annoyance.

“Hey Jackoff, I thought you were some dumbass hunter. Do you think you could be any louder next time?” she jabbed. She knew it was her brother trying to get her out of the sun for the fifth time in that afternoon. Her thick, raven hair covered her neck and shoulders, so it wasn’t like she was at risk of sun burn. For every bit he looked like their Mama River with dark skin, a long curly halo of hair, and big brown doe eyes, he acted like their Mom Patricia. He was always doting on her like she was made of glass.  
“Well I would’ve just yelled at you to come in, but that stopped working. What’s the point of me visiting if you’re out here on lookout duty?” Austin complained looking up at her from the foot of the tree. She growled lowly at his accusation.

“you know the hunters strike during the day, Austin. I have no choice, I can’t go back to the pack,” she barked coldly. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets in defeat. He wouldn’t win this one not by a long shot.

“Look Lils, could you please just come inside. You can protect us from in there, and Mom said we have a dinner guest tonight,” He begged. Lilly rolled her eyes and sighed. She definitely wasn’t winning this one. She hopped down to the ground landing on her feet. She found it so odd to have to look up to look her brother in the eye. She always remembered being taller than him. She guessed that was what not living together for a long time did.

They dredged uphill and through the other side of the woods, Lilly much more quickly and steadily than Austin. They soon walked into the back lawn of their home. Austin noticeably avoided the sight of the old treehouse, choosing to rather look at his tattered work boots. Lilly spotted this and put her hand on his shoulder in sympathy.

“I know, I miss him too. Sometimes I just want to burn that thing, so I don’t have to remember it anymore,” she whispered. Austin chuckled slightly in response but said nothing. They entered their home through the back door to hear the screeching of both their little sister and mother. The pair just looked at one another and rolled their eyes. No matter what they seemed to be fighting about it was never worth actually listening to according to them.

“I’m not going!” Rose screech before a door was heard slamming shut.

“You better be changing into something presentable for dinner, Young Lady!” Patricia yelled while being silently mocked by Austin behind her back. Lilly choked back her laughter at Austin’s antics behind a hand. Despite her usual modest and cheery tone Patricia O’Brien was quick to correct impoliteness, especially when exhibited by her children. The troubled mother scurried into the living room and her facial expression softened at her older children.

“now you two get into some nice clothes. Mrs. Gladius Griffith is coming over to see you, so my guess is you’ll want to make an impression,” She breathlessly explained while tidying up the surrounding area. This news brought an expression of sheer shock to Austin’s face.

“Oh okay, mom. I get it I’ll do my hair nicer you don’t have to pretend celebrities are coming to our house,” Lilly groaned shucking her bag onto a nearby coat rack. Lilly self consciously ran a hand through her slightly tangled mass of long black curls.

“No Lilly she’s really coming,” she explained.

“I call first shower!” Austin bolted up the staircase.

“If you steal all my conditioner, I will murder you!” Austin knew that was not an empty threat and took a mental note to buy more conditioner.

Two hours and a good amount of hair pulling later food was being prepared and places set. Austin was studiously observing and helping his mom with the meal, where as rose was only more or less stealing snacks behind their backs. The meal of fried fish, hush puppies, and mixed steamed vegetables was simple yet was attracting even the distracted Lilly to the kitchen to snatch a few bites before even the fish had cooled down.

“Can you not hog all the fish Austin caught, Rosy Please” Patricia chided. Rose let out a disagreed huff and backed away from the counter.

“of course, he made sure to bring it since he won’t eat anything else” Lilly taunted around a mouthful of a leftover BLT. Austin had been a pescatarian for years now despite his family’s constant nagging.

“Yeah well at least I’m not eating a pig’s rear end” Austin bit back. Lilly just smirked eating her sandwich.

“you two shouldn’t make fun of him. You know River was a vegetarian until she started losing most of her memories” Patricia said with a bit of pain in her voice. It was hard for everyone to speak of River, but it seemed to make Patricia physically ill.

River was her first love and companion throughout the toughest times in their lives, and to have all those memories be wiped from her beloved’s mind felt worse than any wound. The thing about being Inhuman was, for many your body aged much, much slower after adolescence. River was sixty-seven years old, but barely looked older than forty. However, her brain had known her age and she’d developed a very severe case of Alzheimer’s disease.  
“Mom, can we visit Mama at the home this weekend? I miss her. I know she won’t remember me, but I want to see her,” Rose asked with trepidation in her voice. The room was silent aside from the sound of fish frying.

“yes, of course baby,” Patricia cooed with a sigh. It was in the silence left from her proclamation that a steady knock was heard at the door. Patricia was the first to react, untying her apron and hanging it on a nearby spoke. She calmly walked to the front door being tailed shortly by the three. No body spoke a single word as she approached the door. It swung open to reveal a very professionally dressed woman with a polite smile. The three already felt uneasy approaching her.  
It wasn’t that she looked malicious or even suspicious. No, it was that her back was too straight. That her clothes were too perfect. That her hair was too pristine. Or rather that her hands were too still. At worst she was merely unsettling. But was that not enough?

“Hello, Mrs. Griffith always a pleasure to see you!” The three all collectively put the most courteous smiles they could manage on their faces. They clambered to the sides of the now crowded and narrow walkway in order to give their guest room to enter.

“Oh of course same goes to you Mrs. O’Brien. How long has it been? Seventeen years since I was here to do an article on you three and your beautiful children. Oh, my they’ve grown so much! That can’t be you, Lilith!” Mrs. Griffith gushed. Both Lilly and the woman were locked in each other’s gaze neither knowing what to make of the other. Neither knowing what the other was thinking.

“Yeah, that’s me. Sorry ma’am but I don’t remember meeting you before,” the bluntness in her tone almost startled the woman. She wasn’t expecting the tone of mistrust Lilly’s words had carried.

“No, you wouldn’t. You and Austin were very young then. I’ve heard of your mother’s state, and of what happened to your father. I’m very sorry for all of your hardships and loss,” Mrs. Griffith said politely and with sympathy.

“thank you, now let’s get you sat at the table I’m sure we’re all hungry,” Patricia intercepted. Mrs. Griffith’s face fell at the obvious bad reaction to her choice of conversation. She’d felt the obvious emptiness of the home and couldn’t help but address it. Even though she was not the biggest fan of the three it was a morose feeling she got when she remembered how full of life this house was during her last visit. They all stiffly made their ways to the table. At first only the sound of plates and glasses were breaking the palpable, awkward silence.

“So, what brings you here today Ma’am,” Austin queried. Even he couldn’t get a read on her. Her smiles didn’t seem joyful enough. Her voice almost felt empty. Her eyes seemed distracted.

“I’m here to give you guys an opportunity-,” She started smiling.

“She wants to see if we’ll go to her school and protect her students,” Rose interrupted. A disapproved sound fell from Patricia’s mouth as Mrs. Griffith’s professional grin doubled.

“While not the full story I am glad you brought it up, Rose. I have recently been having a bit of a problem with some hunters. The teachers and I have been working hard to eradicate them from the campus each time they show up. However, we are afraid that if they come in bigger numbers like they have in the past in other places that we would not be so lucky,” Mrs. Griffith explained. She looked everywhere but the three’s faces. As if she was not ready to see their reactions on their faces. Lilly’s face was emotionless, but on the inside, she felt a fire ignite in her. With the pack she had briefly patrolled her local town, and even went down to Mississippi in a large raid on a collection of camps where hunters were keeping their victims. She felt like she was at least helping then. If she could do this maybe she could do more.

“You’re not taking me, I refuse. My mother has lost her Husband to the hunters, and a partner to a disease. I am not letting her lose a child too nor am I leaving her alone in this house,” Rose argued. At Rose’s words Lilly immediately felt guilt and shame wash over her. How could she even think about leaving her mother here?  
“Okay first off why us? Of all the people out there you chose us,” Austin inquired doubtfully.

“I as you know also run a newspaper. I in an article said in jest who the public would want to protect the school. you three were the most requested out of seven candidates who were also requested. I will be contacting them as well. Well the ones I can find anyway,” Mrs. Griffith painfully explained before daintily eating her hushpuppy with a fork.

“So, there are others. May I ask who they are,” Lilly asked cautiously. She didn’t want to seem too for the idea. Nor did she want to give Mrs. Griffith the idea that she was against it.

“Yes, sadly no one was recommended by name. The heir to the Suprema, Uh the youngest descendant of Dracula, Lightening Rod, and Florida Panther. I am sure you’ve heard of the last two’s work- “Mrs. Griffith explained.

“I was part of the raid in Mississippi last summer with them. I never saw their faces or heard their names, but they are truly inspiring people” Lilly interrupted quietly.

“Ma’am I don’t want to say down right that I don’t want to at least try to help. I however have very little offensive magic. My voice is gone, and my magic’s nature is healing. Before I agree to anything, I want to be sure that I am needed,” Austin queried cautiously sensing his sister’s disapproval of his supposed position on the matter. Austin was referring to his sirenic voice, something all sirens had. It was a way to focus magic through your voice and despite its reputation as only being used to manipulate sailors was usually used to communicate underwater, or protection.

“I am very sorry to hear about your voice, however there will never be nothing for you to do at my Academy. For the effort against the hunters or not. We are opening our doors to those misplaced by the hunters. Houses that were used as dormitories are being transformed into rehabilitation houses, our classrooms have been condensed down to a few buildings so that others can be converted into infirmaries, kitchens, and sleeping quarters. We predict that your abilities would be quite useful for these endeavors. Also, since I am offering you free admission, and board to my school I will say we have a fantastic healing magic program that you might be interested in,” She let this information sink in as she finished her plate.

At the prospect of free schooling their mother’s face had turn much more approving of the offer. Austin’s mouth also spread into a disbelieving grin. Lilly finally allowed herself a small smile as well. The only person not in approval was Rose who was still sitting arms crossed at the end of the table.

“So, you think that just because we get to go to your school for free, we’ll risk our lives for you” Rose accused.

“Not for me, Rose. Sadly, this is all I can offer you, but I am asking that you help my students and the people otherwise under my care. I wouldn’t ask this of you if it were not serious,” She Clarified. This did not calm Rose for even a second and she continued to seethe in anger.

“Okay I think we’ve heard all that we can hear of this for the day. I think we will all need to sleep on this to make any final decision,” Patricia interjected.

“Yes, I suppose you are right. This meal was absolutely lovely, my compliments to you Patricia. Now I will be on my way I would hate to inconvenience you all any longer,” The woman got up and gently pushed in her chair. Patricia followed and the two made their way back to the front door.

The three left in the dining room just looked at one another. Austin and Lilly’s unsure glances were shot to the other two back and forth. No one knew exactly what to say to each other. And no one spoke to each other for a long minute until Rose stomped out of the room and up the stairs.

“What are we going to do Aussie,” Sighed Lilly.

“I wish I knew, Lils,” Replied Austin.


	2. A Crossroads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dean's search for her new protectors continues

“Look I know I shouldn’t say this but…I want to go. I don’t want to leave mom here by herself, but I want to go,” Lilly confessed. She was sitting cross legged on her bed, working on stitching a hole in a pair of her own blue jeans. Her room had the same theme as a patch work quilt; nothing went together. The chair wasn’t the same wood as the desk and the comforter on the bed didn’t match the sheets, but it almost suited her in a way. She wasn’t fussy about appearances.

Austin looked over his book eyes rolling. He didn’t need to be highly empathic to know that his sister would give her right arm to go. He understood the feeling. He often felt like The Hunters are their parents’ and by extension their fault. But with Lilly it seemed like something more. Like she needed to be the one to stop it, not just that it needed to end.

“Lilly, we all know you’re going. I think mom has already started packing your things. And I’m going too, Healer Fays are hard to come by, so they will need all the help they can get, I’m worried about Rose. She’s following in your footsteps which will mean she’ll be running with the pack in no time” Austin spat in annoyance. At those words anger filled her eyes and a growl bubbled in her throat.

“How fucking dare you! I did what I had to do! What if the hunters who took dad came for Rose and Mom? I couldn’t fucking protect them by myself I was a twelve-year-old girl! And where the fuck were you?! Out joy-riding with vampires and orphans?!” The minute the last word came out of her mouth she regretted it. She could tell her words cut deep into her brother, and despite being mad at him she didn’t want to hurt him.

“I know you’re just mad and that’s why you said that, but you should know I wanted to be back here with my family. I never wanted to not be right here. Now can you please calm down we have other things to worry about. Mrs. Griffith said she was looking for the youngest descendant of Dracula. so, the Johnsons will have spare room in their house maybe mom could stay with them,” Austin cooed calmly. He knew his tone had to be gentle with her now. Her temper had a history of getting out of hand.

“What makes you so sure she’ll go? She seems just content here picking fights with the fucking pack,” Lilly argued.

“I don’t know, Lilly. But honestly, I don’t think she’ll let you go at it alone…. we’ll have to call Mrs. Griffith, tell her we know who the descendant of Dracula is. We should’ve told her when she was here, I hope it’s not too late to call,” Austin replied fishing for his phone in his pockets. He hoped that she would agree to it; he thought it would be nice to have a familiar face around.

Victoria wanted nothing to do with one more of her mother’s ploys to dictate her future. She was in the passenger’s seat of the car, on her way to a restaurant to talk to some Dean about an opportunity she had for college. Not that she didn’t want to go to college, just not right now. She had more pressing matters to attend to right now. She was running this little town, and no one even knew it. She had dirt on everyone, and everyone wanted to keep things really quiet as of late.

She was currently acting as the representative for her local Lycan pack. Times were tough and she didn’t mind manipulating a few people to make sure they were safe. Yes, there was a small cut for her, but also, she always vouched for those who she knew couldn’t foot the bill. Having the dirty little secrets of the Pack’s alpha female and alpha male always ensured that the ones she vouched for were protected no questions asked.

She was currently messaging the alpha female’s boyfriend right now. He just so happened to also be her boyfriend. Both women were aware that they weren’t the only woman but letting the rest of the world know what had transpired wasn’t beneficial to any of them. Lola was only “dating” her darling Marcus to keep the Alpha male of the pack jealous, and in her control. Victoria was only letting Lola lay a finger on him because she knew if it came out that the two of them were dating it would mean hell for the both of them.

She had worn her brightest and prettiest floral Hijab today and dressed in her most stylish outfit. She wore a lose fitted white top and dusty rose-colored skinny jeans that fit just perfectly on her. Although she truly despised them, she had endured putting her colored contacts in, effectively hiding her scarlet eyes and showing a dark brown color. Where she drew the line though was her make up. She denied her mothers request to wear blush, bronzer or even foundation. The only make up she wore was her red lipstick.  
The person she was really trying to impress had always preferred her barefaced. She knew the restaurant she was being dragged to was right across the street from the bakery Marcus worked at, and fully intended to stop there for dessert.

“you look lovely today, draga mea. Am I correct in assuming you’ll want to stop at the bakery afterwards?” Her mother gushed. There was one person she knew approved of her relationship with Marcus and oddly enough it was her mother. She had been alive before the long-standing hatred between the too species so to her it was just another Romeo and Juliet story.

A lot of prejudices that existed amongst inhuman people today seemed to be comparatively new. Victoria’s grandfather “Dracula” so popularly called, is half vampiric and half Draconic. None of the Draconic traits were ever passed down, but it doesn’t change the fact that if he were the same age as Victoria, he’d face much more hardship than he did.  
“If it’s quite alright. I think I’ll get a ride home with Mrs. Abernathy and Marcus. Business is slow today so they’re going home and leaving the shop to Mr. Abernathy,” Victoria explained. Her mother made a small noise in understanding. It wasn’t long before they walked into the fifty’s diner inspired restaurant where, a woman who had to be the Dean was waiting for them at a booth. Victoria took one look at this woman and knew she didn’t work for any old ordinary college.

Her eyes were a piercing, glowing greenish-yellow color, and her natural nails were kept long, pointed and sharp. She moved in a stiff yet not held down way either, like she could float off any minute. Victoria now knew why the locals were staring at her oddly. She was a dragon, and she was not hiding it. Not a single draconic person had fought in the second revolutionary war, a mistake that all American dragons old or young were still paying for by enduring dirty looks and horrid rumors.  
The puzzle pieces soon began to click for Victoria as she took her seat across from the table from this woman. This was Mrs. Gladius Griffith, and although she had never met this woman, she had read of her work all her life. She had even considered her someone to look up to. She had so much power in the Inhuman world and all by her own creation. She ran the only all inhuman species school in the world and our own newspaper!

To say Victoria was a taken a back was a horrible underestimation. She was truly starstruck. Her awe was shown on her face in a giant, ludicrous, fanged smile. It wasn’t until she was sitting down in the opposite side of the booth that she noticed her expression, and quickly hid it away behind her hand.  
“Well I’m glad someone, is glad to see me. I hear you’re a busy young lady around here,” Mrs. Griffith laughed in greeting. This made Victoria’s body tense and sent her mind in a panic. She assumed only the worse rumors had made it to the woman’s ears. Her unconventional partnership with the pack, her Light manipulation of the Alphas, her relationship; they were all not to be out in the light.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what you’re referring to ma’am,” Victoria stuttered. She took a sip of water to aid her dry mouth.

“why your contribution to the Inhuman community out here. I know you’ve partnered with the local Lycan pack to help patrol the area during the day. I know when the drivers boycotted taking inhuman children to school that you stepped in and presented to the school board. I know that you even went to Mississippi to help in the raid. Your friend Austin speaks very high of you dear,” Mrs. Griffith explained. Victoria breathed a silent sigh of relief then mentally rolled her eyes. She knew of the little crush Austin had on her back in high school, but this kind of flattery was just pathetic in her eyes. She wondered why in the world Austin of all people was speaking to her anyway.

“If I may ask Mrs. Griffith, what was the occasion in which Austin was speaking so nicely of me?” Victoria inquired.

“I will assume you have not heard of the sadly, tragic reason I’ve come to talk with you today. There have been hunter attacks at my school as of late and we’ve been subduing the few humans who come alone, however I am afraid that if they come in bigger numbers like they’ve done in other places, we won’t be able to hold our own,” Mrs. Griffith started. This information didn’t clear any confusion for Victoria. She was barely an informant in Mississippi. All she did was ask the locals if they knew where the victims were being held. She mentally cringed at all the telepathy she had to do during that trip. Not a whole lot of people from that small, middle of nowhere town were up to talking to a strange teenage girl in a headscarf.

“Um ma’am you’ve had to have heard I only gathered info during the mission in Mississippi. I am a far cry from a soldier,” Victoria acknowledged.

“Well that being true, I asked the people of this nation, our people, and they demanded that one of those to protect my school be the youngest descent of Dracula. Which to my understanding is you, Ms. Victoria,” The woman explained. She didn’t have to be a telepath to know who had given out that information. She seriously needed to have a heart to heart with Austin about keeping his mouth shut.

“My father isn’t involved with the school, is he?” Her mother inquired. Neither Victoria nor her mother had heard from Vlad in the past five years. Last she heard from him he was in old Louisville, hiding from an old lover’s bitter husband.

“No, not since the seventies I’m afraid. He’s always been a little on the introverted side, hasn’t he?” The woman elucidated. Both nodded in agreement. Neither Victoria nor her mother were very shocked to hear that she had been chosen due to her relation to her grandfather. Despite his bloody past the vast majority of vampires and other non-human people did respect his opinions. Victoria never did understand that fact however she did enjoy the elevation of her status, from time to time.

“And of course, while you are providing me and my students with this service you will be offered a full scholarship to my school, provided that you accept of course,” The woman added. This peeked Victoria’s interest as well as her mother’s.

“And you’re sure the chances of her getting hurt are slim?” Her mother questioned. Victoria knew then that her chances of getting her mother’s approval would be impossible. Even when she left for Mississippi she had to sneak out of the house and tell her mom she went to Gatlinburg with Marc and his parents.

“I can’t promise you this for sure Mrs. Johnson. I wish I could, but I can’t even guarantee my own safety in these times. I can guarantee however that you have a brilliant young lady here and that she won’t be alone.” The woman paused before she leaned into the mother and daughter. “You see we’re getting 5 more skilled fighters. As you’ve heard two of the Lupus-O’Brian children have already agreed. We’re calling for the Florida Panther and Lightening Storm to join the cause as well” The woman whispered. An expression of doubt was just barely contained on Victoria’s face. She knew this woman didn’t even know where those two boys were or even who they were for that matter.  
She was the only one this side of Georgia that knew those boys’ first names, and even she didn’t know where to find them. They had a certain amount of transparency with her since they knew of her power, but she was never given their hometown or full names. It occurred to her that she could’ve found out that information, but she also knew there would be retaliation for ratting them out. They wanted to stay anonymous for a reason.

Her mother wasn’t nearly as skeptical as her though. Her expression slightly brightened at the mention of such powerful people at her daughter’s side. Victoria knew this was the only way to get her mother’s approval.

“I mean when you get down to it, The Hunters are only humans. What harm could they really do to me if they had to go through Lilly, The Florida Panther, And Lightening Storm first. They’re the fiercest fighters I’ve ever seen,” Victoria defended. Her mother breathed in contained relief.

“Victoria, although I want you to go you can’t blame me for worrying. I know I can’t stop you from going so I won’t attempt. I just hope you act with some caution,” her mother surrendered. Victoria smiled in her victory.

“Well then Mrs. Griffith I am happy to say that you should be expecting me next semester at The Protectors Academy for Inhuman Pupils,” she shook the woman’s offered hand and finished her meal. She wished to hurry off to meet her beloved to tell him the hopefully good news.


	3. The Truth About the Baker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn the truth about who the missing suprema is

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff

Victoria would tell you she enjoyed The Bakery because of the beautiful ambience it had. The smell of sweet, freshly baked confectionaries wafting through the air, and the soft colors adorning the walls and tables were lovely and soothing to most. 

She would even tell you she liked it for the free cookies she’d get from Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy. Being their next-door neighbor of fifteen years meant they had quite a soft spot for her. She may even tell you that she liked it because it was the one place none of the locals from their small town visited. She much preferred the quiet mutterings of the busy students from the nearby college, to the loud and hateful glares of her neighbors

But those would all be lies and cover ups. Although the place was lovely, the cookies were delicious, and the break from her fellow townspeople was welcome; she had her eyes and heart set on the man behind the counter. He was a tall, muscular brute whose arms were capable enough to hurl hundreds of pounds over his head. Yet with gentle hands that could handle such delicate tasks as frosting cakes or slicing small fruits. He had a mop of tangled red hair atop his head and freckles almost haphazardly scattered across his face and what you could see of his forearms, both of which clashed almost offensively with his intelligent looking violet eyes. Victoria was absolutely enraptured with him. 

She watched him scurry about, completing the last bit of his work. Ringing up the one customer in the shop aside from herself and wiping off the tables. He methodically made his way to the last table at the very back where she was absent-mindedly nibbling her cookie. He smirked at her obvious ogling. To most it would appear that she was giving him an angry look, but he knew better. He knew this was simply the look she plastered on her perfect face in order to refrain from blowing their cover.  
He hated the sneaking around they had to do. He wanted to show her off like every other brain dead jock did with their “girl of the month”. He wanted to kiss her whenever and wherever they so chose. He wanted to walk out that door hand in hand with her and never look back at this town. 

Of course this was simply not meant to be. To move would mean to blow his cover. It was hard enough just staying in this town without almost being discovered. It amazed him that almost two decades after his parents “went missing”, people were still looking. He had no interest in the Suprema’s seat. In fact, he would gladly give up his seat to his cousin, who clearly was schooled and bred for it; much more so than him at least.  
They had been trying to shift the seat in power for as long as they’ve been “missing”. Things haven’t been going as smoothly as hoped, since there were huge followings on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean that want him to be the next Suprema. 

“You know no one is here, and no one is watching us. you can come out of the shadows, you little spider” he joked in the direction of his shadow shrouded girlfriend. She was one of his many secrets, as well as his only confidant. Having the one person who knows your true identity; someone who has dealt truths and lies like a service; doesn’t seem like the smartest course of action. However, she wasn’t lording his secrets over his head like Lola did with the knowledge of his magic. She almost acted as if she had know power over him at all.

“You can never be too cautious, Marcus Abernathy,” she smiled rising from her seat. She was absolutely gorgeous to Marc’s eyes. She looked fearless and unapologetic on top of her natural beauty and grace. It was enough to almost stun him into silence even three years into their relationship.

“I don’t want to be cautious anymore. I love you, and I shouldn’t be afraid to tell anyone who will listen,” He complained and put his arms around her. She let him have this for only a few seconds. She felt the comforting heat seep into her skin, and reveled in the feeling. She would certainly miss this when she left. They didn’t get much time together as is.

“Marcus I have news. I think we need to sit down and talk,” she exclaimed solemnly. She knew this would probably be the end of what they had or at least the beginning of the end. She loved him, but didn’t know if there relationship could stand the test of distance, as well as secrecy. 

“Oh of course, darling,” he hurried to sit down at the nearest seat. She felt a lump form in her throat and a single tear sting her eye. She suddenly didn’t know what to do with her hands. She saw a worried expression on his face, and the tear she was repressing almost fell.

“Marc I’ve gotten an offer to go to the Protectors Academy in California; A full scholarship. I’ve accepted. I don’t want this to be the end of our relationship, but I understand if you don’t want something so long-distance…”she was interrupted by her her own tears as they finally fell. Marc rose up to his feet and closed the distance between them. He took her face in his warm hands and stroked the tears from her now ruddy cheeks.

“Oh darling don’t cry. I’m so happy for you. You’ve always wanted to go to that school. Don’t worry about “us” because as long as there’s you and me there will always be an “us”. Hell, it might even be easier for me to visit you at college than at your house”. He laughed and planted a small peck of a kiss to her soft lips. Her heart fluttered at the feel of his lips and she sighed into the kiss. This wasn’t there first kiss or even their one-hundredth, and every time she could still feel her heart race and her mind swoon.

“I’ll miss you, every single day”; she smiled dopily. She pushed her lips back to his quickly deepening kiss. They could both taste the fake cherry flavor of her lipstick, but neither really minded. They held each other in a death grip almost as if the other would float away.

Their kiss was interrupted by a ping on Victoria’s phone, which was just loud enough to make Marc jump. Victoria giggled at her boyfriend’s reaction and checked her phone. A look of worry spread over her face as she read the message from her best friend.

“You’ll need to add Mrs. Griffith and your cousins to the list of people trying to find you,” Victoria warned and handed him her phone. In the text, Lilly had said that Mrs. Griffith was still trying to find The Florida Panther, Lightening Storm, and of course the rightful heir to the Suprema’s seat.

“Oh shit…,” He was completely at a loss as to what to do next.


	4. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> just the typical day in the life of Lilly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey this is a bit violent it’s not graphic or anything just thought I’d warn everyone

“No mom, you’re busy I’ll get the groceries”, Lilly argued into her phone. Her mother always acted as if she was still little. She understood that to her mother she did seem very young, but she was still able to go to the store to get milk and eggs by herself.

“Baby, I don’t like the idea of you going out there alone. Call up Victoria to go with you”, Her mother pleaded. Sure she agreed it probably wasn’t the safest to go walking out in the middle of the day, but night time would be no safer for her. She wanted to be useful if she was going to be stuck at home. Victoria and herself had a deal. Only one of them would help their mothers in the store unless it was horribly busy. 

This cut down on what Mrs. Johnson called “friendly, childish ballyhoo”, but was more accurately called “obnoxious screeching”. Lilly knew of Victoria’s involvement with the pack. She even expected that Victoria was the reason why she was even remotely safe from the pack. Still it was almost awkward watching your best friend acting cordial with the people who probably wanted you dead.

“No mom, she’s helping you guys. It’s just a trip to the store, I’ll stay on the sidewalks and everything”, she consoled as she grabbed her house key. 

“Okay Baby, just be safe. I love you”, her mother finally surrendered. She said “I love you back” and hung up the phone. Lilly knew Rose was most likely still asleep, but she decided to bug her with a mischievous grin.

“Hey so I’m going to the store to get some things do you want anything, sleeping beauty”, She loudly exclaimed while opening the door to Rose’s disaster of a room. She wasn’t cuddled up in her bed but rather at her desk. 

In true Rosemary Lupus-O’Brien fashion she was hunched over her computer desk with her head sat in folded arms. But, if that wasn’t enough reason for a back ache her large, downy, cream colored, wings were out in plain view. One was strewn across the cluttered floor, the other stretched over her head to protect her from the sun pouring in from the window and the still burning lamp.

At the sight of her poor, disheveled sister Lilly’s cynicism melted. She drew the blinds and flicked off the lamp leaving the room comfortably dark. She knew her sister had stayed up all that night working either on extra online classes, or writing something.

Gently she pulled her sister’s large wing away from her face, and slowly draped it onto the floor next them. She hugged her under her arms and lifted the slightly smaller girl from her seat. The wings nearly tripped her up on the way to the bed.

After managing to gently lay Rose on the pile of mismatched and wrinkled sheets of her bed she tucked the younger one’s wings behind her. She thought now her sister could sleep comfortably. She scribbled a note saying where she was headed and scurried out the door.

The streets where absolutely barren. Even though it was a bright sunny day not even the children were out. No cars drove through the streets, and not even any birds flew. Even the air was still; not a single wind chime or rustling tree branch could be heard. 

Lilly felt goosebumps rise on the back of her neck as she became hyper-aware of every sensation around her. The sun was burning hot on her skin and her heart started to race urging her to run. However she knew she couldn’t walk any faster for fear of looking suspicious.

The walk to the store felt abnormally long to her. She felt like she was walking through jello. She was almost relieved when she walked into the almost empty Kroger’s parking lot. And then she saw it. In big red letters spray painted on the wall 

“INHUMAN = MONSTER”. 

As if the words were physically hurting her she put her head down. She clutched the sides of her sunglasses begging they keep her eyes hidden. Her heart started to race in fear and her fists clenched. Her mind went back to Rose asleep in her bed. Were they just waiting for her to leave so they could grab her? Were they waiting for her to return so that they could take them both?

She swallowed her anxiety and took a breath. She knew the doors were locked and Rose was safe. She also knew that the spray painted words couldn’t hurt her.

Though, resentment for the punk who painted that on the wall bubbled deep down in her being, she didn’t let it show. She marched straight into the store and snatched a basket quickly gathering the few items. Thankfully the store was almost empty, and the vandal seemed to have left the scene of the crime. 

After finally grabbing the milk she made her way to the check out line. The older lady behind the counter smiled friendly to her and asked her how her day was. Lilly mumbled something that could’ve been called an answer in return. She didn’t want the woman to see her teeth.

“Honey, I know you’re Hector’s little girl. I’m sorry about the graffiti out in the front. The boy who’s supposed to paint over it is late”, the lady said almost condescendingly. 

“I don’t care who you think I am, ma’am. But, your store has just been vandalized, and I hope you’ve contacted the authorities so that this doesn’t continue to happen”, Lilly snapped. The old lady’s smug look evaporated into one of shock at her tone. Lilly took a bit of joy in watching the old crone glare at her as she payed and left. 

Her walk home was exceptionally better. Her newfound confidence blinded her though. Just as she was re-entering her cozy little neighborhood she heard a twig snap behind her.

Her head spun around to see two young men she had never seen before a few paces behind her. They were looking straight at her. Her heart started to race again and her pace started to quicken. She took a deep inhale through her nose attempting to catch her followers’ scent. From what she could smell they were definitely human.

She couldn’t lead them straight to her house. She needed to get them off her trail. She quickly turned down one street. Maybe if she cut through the park real quick she might be able to lose them.  
She cut through two houses and into the playground. She spotted the wooded area bordering the playground and took her chance. She sprinted into the trees and quickly bent down into a shrub she heard the two men argue amongst themselves. 

“Where is IT? IT couldn’t have gone far”, one said. Lilly mentally flinched at being called a thing, but dared not breath. 

They were on the other side of the playground inspecting the tree-line. She knew this was her only chance. She could fly across the dried up creek putting a barrier between herself and the two and then boot it home. As quietly as she could she stood up and backed her way to the edge, keeping her eye on the two. 

It was difficult stretching her wings into the realm of existence cramped between the trees. She didn’t have much experience flying but she knew she had no other choice. She’d be stuck at the bottom of the dried up creek if she fell, and therefore an even easier target. 

With her groceries clutched to her Chest she faced the crack in the earth, took a few steps back, and then leaped. Her wings scooped as much air as they could under her with each swoop. 

As soon as her feet hit the other side she hid away her wings and bolted. She knew Her cousin Marc’s house was close enough that she could get there before the two men on her trail could figure out where she was. The trees and shrubbery blurred behind her as she ran at supernatural speed. Twigs and leaves flying and sticking in her curls.

Eventually she broke though the trees into Marc’s backyard. She ran up to the back door and pounded on it begging to be let in. She couldn’t hear anyone inside. She started to panic. She heard cursing in the woods behind her. They were catching up.

She tried just opening the door. Of course it was locked. Right over the fence was Victoria’s house, and she knew where the spare key was hidden. Just as she turned to run to the fence she saw the two men burst through the trees.

“Don’t move!” One demanded and pulled a gun from inside his jacket. She was frozen in her tracks. She thought of her aunt and uncle coming out to their back yard and finding her lifeless. She thought of how her mother and siblings would go on now having lost a father and a sister to these monsters. That thought almost made her morbidly chuckle remembering the graffiti.

She put her bags down and raised her hands in surrender. She’d rather be taken to one of their awful camps than be shot dead in her cousin’s backyard. For the first time she looked at the two. They couldn’t have been much older than her. The one with the gun was even shaking in fear slightly.

“Don’t shoot, the people who live here have cameras”, she lied. The one holding the gun stepped back and looked around in panic.

“Oh, no when they see we’ve taken care of their pest problem they’ll thank us”, the other spat. Lilly tried to think up a lie to tell them. She never missed the pack more. If she had the pack’s protection she could’ve called for help. But she didn’t and this was what she had to deal with.

“Please, I was just getting them their groceries. They’re an elderly couple, and their grandson who takes care of them is working”, she pled with the boys. The one with the gun finally put down the weapon.

“I c-can’t do this. I didn’t s-sign up to murder good people”, the boy stuttered. This enraged the other who quickly pulled a knife.

“You think it’s not lying to save it’s filthy skin?! If you don’t do it then I will!”, the man cried and charged at her with the knife. As if someone else was controlling her she rushed towards him and the blade. She grabbed the mans wrists holding them in a death grip.

From the pathetic expression he was making and the way he dropped the knife in between them she guessed it must’ve been hurting him. She shoved the man backwards, which sent him flying into the vegetable garden. She quickly grabbed the knife and gripped it in her palm.

“Look, I don’t want to hurt anyone so I need you two to get the hell out of here before this gets serious!”, she threatened pointing the knife at the boy who was now cowering with his hands up. The boy grabbed his dizzy looking accomplice and ran off.

Lilly almost chuckled seeing the two stumble into the woods. It was sad who the hunters were sending out these days. She hid the knife in her belt loop and hissed as the blade touched her lower belly. She rolled her eyes at the thought that they had waisted a silver blade by giving it to those two.

Despite the stinging at her tummy she grabbed her groceries and walked home. She sighed in relief when she finally entered her home. Despite the idea of just laying down in the hallway being tempting to her she put the groceries away and went to go check on her sister.

“Hey, nerd come fix breakfast with me or you’re not getting any”, Lilly threatened. The lump of feathers and hair rolled out of the bed and dragged itself down to the kitchen with her older sister.

“I went grocery shopping so we officially have the “essentials” for breakfast”, Lilly said mocking her sister.

“Our dad made BOTH of us read the dictionary, you can’t make fun of me for learning from it. What time is it anyway?”, Rose inquired.

“It’s noon, why?”, Lilly questioned while whisking eggs. Without explanation Rose bolted into the living room and turned on the tv.

Inquisitively Lilly fallowed her sister to the living room. When she saw what was on the TV she almost dropped the bowl of raw eggs. She just stood there in shock as she read the news story title.

“AN INTERVIEW ON INHUMAN RIGHTS WITH THE “FLORIDA PANTHER”…” and there he was speaking with the reporter. Lilly knew there were imposters out there; what with him having never shown his face. But Lilly knew that was him she remembered those kind eyes, she remembered that dignified posture he held. And then she heard his voice and if almost made her shiver. That was the voice that commanded her in Mississippi, and that was the voice that would speak out for all of them.


	5. Fake News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we see the interview unfold

In the span of five minutes Rose had gotten just about everyone they had ever met to turn on their televisions and watch the historic moment unfolding on the screen. Lilly was still in shock at hearing the young man speak. She never got his name or saw his face but when they last spoke, he sounded so small. He sounded almost older now, like he had seen more now that a year had passed.

The interviewer had the strangest look on her face, as if she was almost too scared to look him in the eye. She shuffled her notes on the desk awkwardly and adjusted her shirt several times unnecessarily. Lilly almost didn’t blame the poor woman with the way he usually chose to dress. Just like how she had met him he wore black jeans, and a hoodie with red slash mark designs on it; that wasn’t the weird part of it though. Covering his mouth and nose was one of those reusable doctor’s masks. This particular one was black and had the maw of a big cat stretched open. It almost created the allusion that he was in actual panther form, ready to attack. His eyes were hidden behind sunglasses as per usual for him during the day, and of course his triangular ears were poking through the top of his hoodie and his long sleek tail was flicking beside him.

The sight of his ears and tail caused equal parts pride and terror to rise inside of her. She remembered the bravery he exhibited in Mississippi as reasoning as to how he was able to do such a thing. She remembered the fury she saw in his eyes as they came up on that horrid place. He insisted that if the pack ran in their normal formation that he would run with the omegas. Lilly, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth seized the chance to get closer to the creator of the Inhuman Rights and Protection Organization. She was fine the whole hike through the wilderness until they came up on the old plantation house those psychos were using to hold their victims.

If she was honest with herself at the first scream she heard, she was ready to turn tail and run. That blood curdling scream was enough to make her go cold all on its own. She remembers being so scared she looked at the man beside her in disbelief. Instead of fear in his glowing eyes all she saw was a calm anger. It wasn’t an expression of apathy or that he was too preoccupied to feel too strongly about the situation. No, it was a look of concentrated, and calculated hatred. 

He looked so very different then than he did now calmly sitting on the news station lounge chair. He sat with the same confidence and poise any interviewee would have, despite being on live TV in a costume. Through the phone she heard her mother chuckle at his appearance and ask how both Lilly and Victoria had taken him seriously.  
“Alright than Mr. Florida Panther umm, glad to have you on the show. how was your ride here? I assume you didn’t take the subway here”, the reporter joked. You could hear a laugh bubble up from the man behind his mask. 

“No, no I got a taxi here. I can’t imagine I was the number one weirdest thing that poor New York cab driver has ever seen, but I would be very proud to be at least the fifth”, He laughed. The joke seemed to break some of the tension between the boy and the reporter.

“Well I believe that we should address the elephant in the room. Umm well, your ears; are they real?”, The reporter stage whispered. This caused the boy to shake with laughter. 

“yes, ma’am they are real. I promise I don’t have the talent with prosthetics to fake them. The same goes for my tail”, He explained. The reporter’s jaw dropped, and she stood from her seat.

“oh, my goodness I didn’t even see your tail oh wow. So, you were just born this way there is no way you can get rid of this?” the reported Implored astounded by what she was seeing. It seemed to Lilly then that she had thrown her script out the window at this point in the program.

“well I am what is called a shapeshifter. Specifically, I can shift into a panther. Although I can live looking as a normal human like you this is how I feel most comfortable. my hearing and balance are more in tune and sharper like this though”, the sisters laughed at the reporters shocked look at his explanation. Lilly and Rose were now sitting on the couch engaged in the show, their breakfast forgotten in the kitchen. The reporter asked him to prove how well his hearing was. In response the boy stated in a plain way that the stagehand down the hall should really stop clicking that pen. In an almost staged way, the reporter did ask if any of the stagehands had been clicking a pen. Of course, there had been.

“oh, okay so now that we have an idea of how you’re like this, do you mind if I ask you some questions about what you’ve been doing down in Florida?” the boy nodded his consent to the reporter. The woman retrieved her script from her desk and looked at the boy with a smile.

“So, it is to my understanding that you’ve formed a bit of an organization down in Florida. For people like you; so, I guess people with ears and tails like you then”, the boy laughed at her ignorance. 

“well yes and no. For people who aren’t like you but might not be like me. Not every Inhuman person is the same. There are Lycanthropic people, and Sanguinarian people, Shapeshifters like me, Draconic people, Fayish people really Inhuman People is just an umbrella term. However, the Inhuman Rights and Protection Organization serves and accepts all Inhuman people and, if we can, human people too”, The boy explained. The reporter seemed to let the reality sink in, and it seemed to really weigh on her. 

“and all these…people…what is their biggest concern? why do they need something like the Inhuman Rights and Protection Organization?” The reporter seemed genuinely shocked at the information she was hearing. It made Lilly think about what exactly humans knew about what was going on. Did they genuinely not know what was going on unless they are a hunter? 

“Well as of right now, the number one concern is what we call The Hunters. They seem to be a large group that kidnaps, and experiments on individuals of our community with no consideration for the individual’s consent. If it wasn’t for groups like ours liberating their camps, many of these victims wouldn’t see their family or loved ones again”, He answered. At least to the reporters credit she genuinely looked shocked and appalled. 

“wait they don’t kill the people they take?”, Mrs. Johnson asked in excitement through the phone. Her excitement was almost naive to Lilly.   
“usually not intentionally, but these experiments are for the most part nothing short of torture and most don’t survive, Auntie”, Lilly explained. Mrs. Johnson made a disappointed noise through the phone. 

On the TV you could hear a commotion behind the set. Someone screamed; a blood curdling, terrified screech. And then a gunshot went off. The boy in the mask shot up out of his seat like some kind of animal. He charged off screen and more gunshots were heard. 

Everyone watching together had looks of horror, but none were surprised. They felt almost stupid for expecting anything else to happen. It almost felt dumb to think that the Hunters would just let someone expose them on national TV. However, knowing something was going to happen and seeing it unfold was two different experiences.   
The reporter ducked behind the desk and the camera shut off leaving the technicolor stripes in its place. The room was silent aside from the quiet sobbing coming from Rose. Almost numb Lilly pulled her sister into her arms. There was truly no hope now that he was gone.

Down the street the Abernathy’s were watching the same channel with the same blank technicolor screen. Two almost bored faces looked at the screen in annoyance. Sometimes Marc hated knowing what would happen in the future. His premonitions didn’t happen a lot or hell even regularly, but when they did, they almost always seemed to annoy him. He always wished he could at least join in on everyone’s collective unsureness, but instead he was left to deal with the truth. This would not be the end of “The Florida Panther” or the end of the IRPO. 

Now he didn’t know if the boy would be okay. For all Marc knew the boy in the mask was being hauled away to one of The Hunter’s camps by now. But Marc knew for sure this wasn’t the end of the fight, but in fact this was the beginning of it. And Marc wanted whatever part he could get in the fight.   
He opened his phone and typed his thoughts out to his beloved. He knew she was somewhere watching the same thing he had just seen, but with a look of horror on her face. He typed four words “I’m going to California” and sent it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> April Fools


	6. The midwestern division

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily gets some good news

The fallowing days after the shooting were harder than usual for Inhumans everywhere, however it almost seemed concentrated at Lilly and Rose’s front door. The Abernathy’s little bakery had been vandalized under the assumption that they were Inhuman. Of course, the vandal had been correct, but no one understood how any human had figured it out. The pack prepared for the predicted serge in Hunter activity by patrolling their patron’s properties and streets almost on all hours of the day. 

Lilly and Rose were succumbing to the worst case of cabin fever known to inhuman kind. Of course, the shooting brought on bouts of anxiety amongst both of them, but aside from that the full moon was fast approaching. Neither were strangers to their father’s old chains, but neither exactly preferred them. Rose hated the feeling of Claustrophobia she got from being trapped down there. Lilly dreaded the feeling of manic hunger she felt the morning after.   
Lilly truly did miss running and hunting with the pack. Despite what popular media depicted as Lycanthropy, most Werewolves at least in Lilly’s experience didn’t get amnesia from shifting. You were also aware of what you were doing while shifting. Lilly would admit to being in a completely non-human mindset when shifted However. 

She looked back on her sister’s first shift fondly. That night the pack allowed her “pup sister” to run with them as an Omega, However the little punk broke ranks almost immediately to go hunt down a buck just like Lilly had. She supposed lone wolf-Dom just suited the two of them.

“Uggh, can’t you give me some goddamn space!”, Rose shouted at her sister in annoyance. Lilly laughed cruelly at her sister’s outburst. Admittedly she had been tailing her sister far too long simply to get a reaction. She spied her sister’s bared teeth and glare and decided quickly to retreat. 

She wandered up to her bedroom windowsill where her phone was charging.  
She had recently reached out to her friend in IRPO down in Florida. She really only knew him by his Instagram handle, seeing how everyone in that organization hid their identities and went by fake names. This person she befriended she had met at the IRPO convention corresponding to the mission in Mississippi and had introduced himself as Onyx Ember. Through short lived text conversations, she had come to know him as quite an interesting person.

He appeared to be a seer with a talent for fire manipulation as Lilly understood. Although she had never asked him explicitly “what” he was. She herself always found the question at the best of times awkward and at the worst insulting. She guessed that might have been an unpopular opinion seeing as she had a slightly more unique view of the situation. Her father had been a werewolf and her mother is a fay, therefore making her a combination of both. This fact had gained many odd reactions her whole life. 

Her phone went off signaling her friend had responded. She had inquired him of how IRPO was reacting to their Co-creator being shot, and if IRPO was even still standing after all of that. No one had honestly thought to contact them in the last few days, or rather no one was able to. A thought of how dangerous even this was popped into her mind, but she extinguished it. If the Hunters were smart enough to hack an Instagram account with an alias attached to it, then they would be smart enough not to murder someone on national television she reasoned. 

“What? No IRPO is fine, business as usual”, the text read with a confused emoji at the end. Lilly raised an eyebrow at her phone screen wondering if the boy had just lost his mind. Maybe he was just joking with her she rationalized. 

“Um how? Has Lightening storm decided to just go on without Florida Panther? That’s gotta be hard I assume they were close” Lilly typed out and sent. Almost immediately his response came through.

“I mean yeah he’s calling orders by himself until FP is healed up. We really need a Healer Fay down here. You’re Fayish right?”, Lilly read in astonishment. Was it possible that he hadn’t died three days ago? She thought back to what she had seen on the screen and what she had heard. She didn’t remember seeing him being shot so there was a possibility, but if he wasn’t dead then how was he free she wondered.

“He’s not dead? Where is he? How do you know that?”, Lilly interrogated for the first time feeling slightly suspicious of her digital pen-pal. It felt like he was almost intentionally lying to her for some reason. A response immediately came through.

“No, a bullet grazed his arm, and from what I’ve been told he’s at his home”, the message read. Lilly’s jaw dropped as she read the text. “And Lilly you showed your wings at the convention. You literally flew”, another message popped through. She was flabbergasted with the information she just read; not that she had decided to take a small flight around a convention hall, no that she remembered. 

Her phone fell from her hand as she rose from her seat on the ground. She had to tell Victoria; she couldn’t contain such wonderful news. She quickly grabbed her purse and armed herself with a protection spell her mother had given her. Her mother was well aware that it was not really possible to keep her eight-teen year old daughter in her house.

As to not give her younger sister the idea of sneaking out she opened her window, grabbed her thankfully not broken phone, and crawled out onto the roof. She took a refreshing breath of the dry summer wind and leapt to the grass below her. Not smelling anyone around her she broke into a full sprint in the direction of her best friend’s house. Instead of finding Victoria curled up somewhere dark where she ought to be on a sunny day like this, she was in her backyard peering over the fence umbrella in hand. 

“if you’re trying to steal their tomatoes again, I’m sure they’re squashed” Lilly accused laughing. She heard her cousin laugh from behind the fence and was slightly surprised. She had never heard them have a civil chat with each other before much less sneak conversations over their shared garden wall.

“thankfully not all of them, you clutz. How did you manage to run over this many plants?” Marc complained. 

“I didn’t run into them I threw a hunter into them by accident,” Lilly argued. This made the two laugh as marc rested his chin on the fence. “since when have you two been so friendly with one another? Last month you two got in a fight because he quote on quote “put a spell on your cat” because she kept running into their catnip bush”, she continued. The two looked at each other in panic, then fondness. 

“maybe we should tell her. In a few months it’s not like it’ll matter, and it’ll be a lot harder to explain it then?” marc argued, then pulled himself over the fence. “Look you know how grandma Morrigan is married to the Suprema…” Marc started to explain. Lilly caught on pretty quick and almost rolled her eyes.

“your mom is the Aunt Saoirse that decided to run off with a werewolf…. honestly, I think I figured that out when I was twelve, I just didn’t say anything. Seemed like if y’all wanted to stay hidden, then you probably should stay that way”, Lilly interrupted leaving Marc annoyed. Victoria rolled her eyes at the boy.

“Well since my connection to my grandfather I was offered a free spot at the Protectors’ Academy with you two. I’ve decided to accept”, Marc continued. Marc squirmed under Victoria’s strengthened glare, and Lilly almost felt bad for him. “and um well we’re together Lilly. We’ve been together for a long time. Lola just didn’t want people hearing she got dumped then see me with a vampire”, Marc explained. At first Lilly laughed at the obvious terrible joke. When neither laughed her tune changed. 

“you mean to tell me you’ve been running around pretending to be dating Lola!? All because SHE can’t take the embarrassment? Dude just dump her ass we’re not in high school anymore. What, is Victoria just not good enough for you”, Lilly spat skeptically. Marc growled low in his throat almost inaudibly at her assumption. Before the anger that had started to simmer in his mind boiled over into an even nastier comment Victoria stepped in.

“That’s rich coming from the product of a throuple. Now even though I am very tempted to give you every reason I am more than enough for Marc in every way, let’s talk about whatever you just had to tell me”, Victoria argued gesturing to Lilly’s bare feet. Lilly ignored Marc’s snickering.

“Guys the Florida Panther is alive! My friend from IRPO down in Tampa just told me. he was only grazed by the bullets”,Lilly explained. Marc nodded in agreement as Victoria skeptically shook her head. 

“Are you sure even he would know Lilly-,” Victoria started.

“No he’s alive! I felt it when I was watching the interview. I didn’t say anything because you know it can be tricky,”Marc interrupted.

“You knew that boy would live and you told nobody?”, Victoria accused glaring daggers at her partner. He raised his hands up in surrender.

“Hey, this stuff can be tricky he could’ve died and someone could’ve taken his place, or a copy cat could come out and try to trick us. I didn’t wanna spread false information,”Victoria did not seem satisfied with his answer, but didn’t say anything more about it.

“Victoria, do you know either of the two’s contact info? Lightning storm or Florida Panther?”, Lily asked.

“No they used an old KIK account to talk to me during Mississippi. It’s been deleted sense then and neither have contacted me”, Victoria asked. “Why? What do you have planning?”, she continued.

“Oh nothing I just thought I’d send their contact information to Mrs. Griffith. They are invited to come next year”, Lily answered. It was at this point Marc went back to tending to his garden still keeping an ear on the conversation. 

“Oh I thought you wanted to call IRPO up here to sort out the increase in attacks. You know get them off our backs and the pack less active before we leave”, Victoria confessed mindlessly. 

This planted the smallest seed of an idea in Lily’s brain. As the light bulb went off in her mind it lit up her face in a determined expression of excitement. She looked over at her friend with a new purpose and grabbed at her hand frantically.

“What if WE did? What if we were IRPO”, She propositioned through her mad grin.


End file.
